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Not that a huge difference compared to say the ATP tennis tour.now this is just nonsense talk
I agree with Matt, since he has been to few as a player himself and I myself are closely knitted to many that take part
World Championships has always been the main title to chase and Olympics.
World Cup was for prize money.
Now comes WTT and there are 3 Smash, 4 Champion, 2 Finals this year so far, with many more to come.
Now there is ITTF mixed teams world cup.
Per gender, that is 12 "major events" for 2024 and we haven't even counted WTT Star Contender, OG, Continental events etc.
World Cup 16 had to be qualified for, similar to the WTT finals (or Pro Tour grand finals before that).
If the logic of 16 to 48 is better, then WTT finals to 48 too?
What difference is it all than to Smash, Champions etc? Matt asked a valid question.
With more players, then event size gets bigger, days get longer, players need to be there for longer/ cost more money etc.
ITTF went to shrink some events and then they want to expand some other.... Overall the event duration in 2024 seems already much longer (with champion schedule for even 7 days etc)
Conclusion is, SO MANY different event name and all the same players, in a very crowded calendar.
To top off the problem, a lot of this events are known very late... It should be annual events with dates set more than 6 or 12 months ahead of time.
With the only difference is a couple of more attendees from the weaker continents. Maybe 16 + 8 would be fine with same limitations, but 16 + 32 is like asking OG to double its participation too.
WC has always been like OG, smaller format, and 2 per MA, now China will send 5... So world cup just becoming another one of those WTT fixtures... it seems
- 4 Majors
- 9 ATP 1000
- 1 ATP tour finals
But I guess the tennis players have also complained over the overcrowded schedule and injury risk ...